India crowned champions as Bangladesh falter

India were crowned champions of the SAFF Under-17 Women's Championship as Bangladesh's hopes of completing the circle of winning every age-group trophy in women's football of the region remained elusive following Friday's results at the Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu.

Bangladesh were held to a 1-1 draw by Bhutan before India thrashed Nepal 5-0 to win the title with a game in hand, taking an unassailable five-point lead over Bangladesh.

Bangladesh will face India in their last match of the competition on Sunday, but that fixture will be a dead rubber now as even a win would leave the girls in red and green two points behind champions-elect India.

Bangladesh, who had previously finished runners-up to invited Russia in the SAFF U-17 Women's Championship in 2023, will have to be content with the same position yet again.

However, at the start of Friday's game it seemed as if Mahbubur Rahman Litu's charges would take the title-fight to the last game after Purnima Marma gave them a sixth-minute lead with a powerful dipping shot from the edge of the box, having stolen the ball from a miscued kick from the Bhutan goalkeeper.

Bhutan, though, equalised in the stoppage time of the first half, Chorten Zangmo beating Bangladesh goalkeeper Yearzan Begum with a placing shot after running on to a through-ball high up the pitch. Despite their best efforts, Bangladesh failed to find the winning goal, leaving their fate hanging on the India-Nepal fixture.